Reading, binge-watching Netflix, cross-stitching, playing with my kitten… and browsing online stores.
Alright, that last one isn’t a “hobby” in the classic sense, but it might as well qualify. And it’s a hazardous habit for my bank account.
Sometimes I just “window” shop. (See what I did there?) Other times, I go on a spending spree — especially when returns are easy and the discounts are tempting.
But those online bargains aren’t always plastered across a retailer’s homepage. With a little digging, though, you can uncover plenty of cash-back chances online and via apps.
Without further delay (because I know you’re eager to get that package on its way), here’s a roundup of resources, tips and tricks you’ll want to check before hitting “submit” on your next order.
1. Earn Cash Back With the Ibotta App
Ibotta is my favorite app for getting cash back on groceries to trim expenses, but it also features many cash-back offers for online stores.
Install the app (and snag that $10 sign-up bonus), then tap “Find Rebates.” Choose the mobile shopping section to view current opportunities.
My preferred recent perk is its Amazon partnership. You can grab a $20 Amazon gift card when you enroll in Prime.
Other online deals available (when I wrote this) include:
- 10% cash back on BloomThat floral deliveries
- 10% cash back on Booking.com hotel bookings
- Up to 10% cash back on Groupon offers
- 10% cash back on purchases from Jet
- 5% cash back from Urban Outfitters
There are plenty more deals: our Ibotta review has the full scoop.
Keep in mind you must launch these stores through the Ibotta app to qualify for the offers.
2. Stop Deleting Your Emails
Believe it or not, tossing your emails might be costing you real money. Curious?
One handy tool isCapital One Shopping Price Protection— a service that can reimburse you for online purchases. It’s free to join, and once activated, it will scan your email history for receipts. If it finds purchases from retailers it monitors, it will track prices and help you claim a refund when the item’s price falls.
Also, if a guaranteed shipment arrives late, Capital One Shopping Price Protection will assist in recovering the shipping cost you paid.
Capital One Shopping Price Protection compensates us when you sign up using the links we provide.
3. Share Your Amazon Purchase Data
That’s basically it.
The Harris Poll, a reputable survey outfit that gauges U.S. public opinion, runs a program called ShopTracker. Essentially, it anonymously monitors what items users buy on Amazon.
It pays $36 a year for that access and assures your data is kept private.
Before you opt in (it takes roughly 3 minutes), here are the requirements:
- You should make purchases on Amazon, naturally.
- You must be 18 or older and reside in the U.S.
- You’ll need a PC compatible with at least Windows 7. If you’re on Windows XP or a Mac, it won’t function.
Install the app for free, then sign into your Amazon account to earn an extra $36 this year. It’s not huge, but it’ll help offset some impulse buys on Amazon.
Or at least the shipping cost…
4. Get Cash Back With Ebates
Ebates is an online shopping portal that provides cash-back opportunities at more than 2,000 merchants.
Sign up (and claim a $10 welcome bonus!) and make your purchases through the site.
You can earn up to 40% cash back on qualifying buys. Here are a few examples of attractive offers (at the time of writing):
- Up to 10% cash back on wedding décor and gifts from Etsy.
- Enjoy $20 off your Tom’s purchase.
- Get up to 25% off your next car rental from Thrifty.
- For a limited window, Macy’s increased its 3% cash-back rate to 10%.
Offers change often. Recently, Ebates had 10% cash back at Walmart. There are thousands of deals, so I’ll stop there. But you can see whether Ebates has an offer for your favorite store (probably) by creating an account here. And don’t forget that $10 bonus!
5. Earn Cash Back on Everything You Buy
If you want a mostly passive way to accumulate some money over the year, a cash-back credit card is one of the simplest routes.
Just make sure you don’t get carried away with spending — and that you pay the balance in full each billing cycle.
Here’s a card we like: the Chase Freedom Unlimited. What makes it stand out? You’ll earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases. Additionally, if you spend $500 within the first three months of opening the account (hello, groceries), you’ll receive a $150 bonus.
There’s no annual fee, and the cash-back rewards won’t expire. We used Credible’s annual rewards calculator, which estimates $417 in yearly rewards based on our spending pattern.* (You can plug in your own spending to see projected earnings.)
Apply — and take advantage of a 0% intro APR for 15 months — here.
*Annual Rewards totals will vary depending on the figures you enter. Monthly spending category names and definitions may differ between issuers, and categories may not match exactly.
The information for the Chase Freedom Unlimited card was gathered independently by Savinly. Views expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or endorsed by the credit card issuer. Savinly is a partner of Credible.
6. Check Out Through MyPoints
More points!
You can trade these in for gift cards to retailers you love.
Install MyPoints, a rewards platform that pays you simply for shopping through its portal.
How it works:
- Create a MyPoints account with your email address.
- Next time you shop online, go through the MyPoints portal. It’s linked to thousands of shops — so the one you want is likely included.
- If you spend $20 at a participating store, MyPoints may award you 1,740 bonus points, which can be redeemed for that $10 Amazon gift card.
Points on points. Sign up for free and grab that bonus here.
7. Earn SBs and Redeem Them for Gift Cards
What’s an SB? It’s a Swagbucks point, which you can redeem for gift cards.
Browse our beginner’s guide to Swagbucks. Then register.
Whenever you shop online, log in and make purchases through the portal. If you buy from Target, for instance, you might earn 2 SBs per dollar. On Amazon, you can earn up to 3 SBs per dollar. Macy’s sometimes offers 6 SBs per dollar.
When you reach 500 SBs, you can redeem them for a $5 Amazon gift card. Or continue accumulating for a larger reward.
You’ll even receive bonus SBs when you sign up here.
Alex Mercer is a junior writer at Savinly.
